Attachment for printing-presses.



' A. L. SMITH. ATTACHMENT FOB. PRINTING. PBESSES. AYPLIUATION FILEDT11R21, 1911.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. L. SMITH. ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSBS.

Patented Nov. 28,1911.

3 SHEE'lk-SHEET 2.

A. L. SMITH.

ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

' APPLICATION FILED $1111.21, 1911.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

I l'mben'tors 4 altotuegs COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH (10.. WASHINGTON, D. C.

ALTA L. SMITH, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING-PRESSES.

Application filed February 21, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALTA L. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments forPrinting-Presses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to improvements in attachments for printingpresses, and particularly to improved means for automatically adjustingor registering the paper that is to be printed, and has for an objectthe arrangement of improved means for adjusting paper of varying sizeswithout buckling the same.

Another object of the invention is the arrangement of a movable arm forautomatically shifting the paper fed into the machine to a correctposition, and then moving away from the paper.

A further object of the invention is the arrangement of an arm and a pinor stop for engaging paper fed into the press, together with areciprocating bar operated by the gripper bar of the press, thereciproeating bar being connected to the gripper bar of the press insuch a manner as to cause the arm and stop to be moved so that the,

paper will be brought over in its proper position previous to the timeof impression.

Another object of the invention is the arrangement of an improved stopand lat- -erally moving arm, together with yielding members mountedthereon acting on the stop so that when the stop is moved over a certiondistance for causing the paper to be positioned properly for animpression, the same being arranged to co-act with one of the grippersfor causing the stop to move back from the paper after having moved thepaper over to its correct position, whereby any buckling or folding ofthe paperis prevented.

A still further object of the invention is the arrangement in a printingpress of im' proved means automatically operated by parts of the pressfor adjusting paper fed into the press to a proper position, and thenmoving back away from the paper.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises certainnovel construc- -Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Nov. 28, 1911.

Serial No. 609,926. Y

tions, combinations, and arrangement of parts as will-be hereinaftermore fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is 'a perspective view of theplaten of a printing press, showing an embodiment of the inventionapplied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail perspective view of themovable stop and associated parts. Fig. 3 is a perspective view similarto Fig. 1, except that the same is shown with the grippers down and thevarious parts in the position taken when the press is closed. Fig. 4 isa detail perspective view of a left hand movable stop mechanism. Fig. 5is a top plan view of the invention on a slightly reduced scale, certainparts being broken away for better illustrating the device. Fig. 6 is a.front edge view of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section through Fig. 6approximately on line 77. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one ofthe retaining supports. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of anotherretaining support.

In constructing a device embodying the invention an ordinary platen isemployed, which is used on the usual press in use at present, and thedevice arranged thereon so as to coact therewith without changing any ofthe parts of the press. The device is formed with a pair of supportingor retaining brackets or members which engage the platen, and which areheld in place by the ordinary tympan bail. These retaining bracketssupport a bar which extends longitudinally in front of the platen, whichin turn carries a reciprocating rod operated by a bell crank lever andlink construction, which in turn is operated by a reciprocating rodconnected with the gripper barof the press for receiving motion from thepress.

.The reciprocating bar hasconnected there with an arm extending over theplaten and moved laterally over the platen when the press is inoperation. Connected with the arm is a yielding stop which is moved withthe arm as the same is moved laterally over the platen, and which isautomatically moved a short distance back by one of the gripper armswhen the press is closed. By this arrangement the paper fed into thepress is moved to a correct position for the impression, and then thestop or moving member is moved back out of the way so that if the paperis slightly larger than intended there will be no buckling by reason ofthe pressure of the movable stop against the same. i

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood an embodimentof the same is shown in the accompanying drawings in which 1 indicatesthe ordinary platen having associated therewith a gripper bar 2 andgripper arms 3 and 4. The platen l is provided with the usual tympanbails 5 and 6 for holding the tympan in place. Slidingly fitting overtwo outer corners of the platen 1 are retaining brackets 7 and 8 whichare held in place by the tympan bail 5, and which in turn hold rigidlyin place the remaining parts of the device. Retaining bracket 8 supportsa bell crank housing 9, and also supports one end of a stationary bar10. An extension 11 of bracket 7 supports the end of bar opposite tothat supported by bracket 8. Bar 10 is provided with turned up portions12 and 13 having apertures therein which accommodate a reciprocating rod14. Rod 14 has surrounding the same near turned up portion 13 a spring15 which is held on rod 14 near turned up portion 13 by pin 16. Thisspring is designed to take up any lost motion of rod 14. Rod 14 is bentat point 17 upon itself, and then bent so as to point at right angles tothe general direction of rod 14, and form a ournal shaft 18 whichextends through a U -shaped link 19, and through slot 20. Slot 20 isformed by bell crank housing 9 and an extension 21. Preferably extension21 is secured at 22 to housing 9 by a rivet and to housing 9 at point 23by a removable bolt or screw so that bar 10 may be pivotally removedreadily whenever desired. The housing 9 is a substantially U-shapedstrip of metal to which is secured extension 21, and to which is securedretaining bracket 8. Passing through the housing 9 is a shaft 24 whichalso passes through a bell crank lever 25. Bell crank lever 25 is formedwith levers or extensions 26, 27 and 28, levers 26 and 27 being usedwhen the arm 29 is used on the right side of the platen, and levers 27and 28 being used when the arm 30 is used on the left side of theplaten. By this arrangement a right hand and left hand feed is provided.Pivotally connected with lever 26 is a reciprocating pitman rod 31 whichis threaded at the opposite end into a sleeve 32 which merges into anapertured connecting member 33. Passing through the aperture in member33 is a wrist pin 34 which extends upward and merges into a supportingplate 35. Plate 35 is bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to gripper bar2, so as to convey motion to the pitman rod 31, and the connected partsin proper timed relationship to the movement of the press. The threadingof rod 31 into sleeve 32 permits an adjust ment or regulation of thelength of the-rod 31, and the consequent throw or movement of the rodand the parts connected therewith.

Slidingly mounted upon rod 14 is a supporting block 36 which is providedwith a plurality of threaded apertures into one of which set screw 37 isfitted, and into the other ofwhich are fitted clamping screws 38. Theend of set screw 37 is designed to engage rod 14 and to firmly clampsupporting block 36 to the rod in any adjusted posi tion so that as therod is reciprocated the supporting block will be moved. Arm 29 is formedwith a base 39 which is formed with a plurality of slots designed topermit the base to slide over the set screw 37 and clamping screws 38for permitting the clamping screws to clamp or bind the base rigidlyagainst supporting block 36, so that the supporting arm 29 will be movedas rod 14 is moved. Slidingly mounted on arm 29 is a sleeve structure 40having a raised portion 41 which accommodates the end of spring 42,while the opposite end of spring 42 presses against the under side of acam 43 so as to normally hold the cam as far from arm 29 as possible.Pivotally connected with sleeve 40 by bolt or rivet 44 is a pivotallymounted arm 45 having formed thereon cam 43 and \stop 46. Stop 46'limits the movement of arm 45 in one direc tion, and consequentlylimits the distance that spring 42 may force cam 43 from arm 29. Rivetor bolt 44 is sufiiciently loose for permitting a free pivotal movementof arm 45 independent of sleeve 40, so that whenever the press is closedgripper arm 3 will engage cam 43 and move the same toward arm 29, andconsequently move the opposite end of the arm 45 in an oppositedirection so that stop 47 will be moved away from the paper 48. Byreason of the action of the bell crank lever 25, and the consequentreciprocation of rod 14, arm 29 will be moved toward stop 49, and willconsequently move paper 48 against said stop. Ordinarily the arm 29 isadjusted so that the movement of the same will cease as soon as stop 47has forced the edge of paper 48 against stop 49, but in order to insureagainst any buckling of the paper 48 by stop 47, stop 47 is moved backby the action of cam 43 and gripper arm 3 as just described withoutaifecting the position of arm 29. Pivotally mounted arm 45 is providedwith apertures 50 and 51 through which the end of stop 47 is passed, andby the resilient nature of stop 47 the same is held against any movementindependent of arm 45. If it is found desirable a lug may be struck upfrom stop 47 or a slight indentation thereof may be made.

In Fig. 4 will be seen a left hand arm and automatically movable stopwhich is of similar construction, and operates similar to arm 29 andassociated parts, except that the same moves from the left side of theplaten toward the right and then back again so as to feed from the leftto the right. The arm 30 is designed to fit the supporting block 36 in asimilar manner to the way arm 29 fits block 36. Arm 30 and associatedparts are similar to arm 29 and associated parts, and will thereforeneed no additional description, the same reference numerals applying,the only difference being that one operates from the left and the otherfrom the right.

In applying the device the platen is prepared with the proper tympan andthe tympan bails are moved to their correct position for holding thetympan in proper position, and the stops 49, 52 and 53 are ads justed inthe usual manner. After the press has been prepared in this manner thetympan bail 5 israised and the retaining brackets 7 and -8 are slid ortelescoped over the opposite edges of the platen, as shown in Figs. 1and 3, and then the tympan bail 5 replaced. This will firmly clamp thedevice in position on the platen, after which the pitman rod 31 isproperly connected up by having member 33 slid over journal member 34and pin 54 placed in position. Afterthe device has been applied as justdescribed the arm 29 is then adjusted so as to properly feed the paper48 against stop 49, and then move back a short distance, gripper arm 3being also adjusted to properly engage cam 43.

It will be, of course, evident that gripper arm 4 may be adjusted to anydesired position, or may be eliminated if desired, or if preferredadditional gripper arms may be provided, the use or non-use of thegripper arms except gripper arm 3 being no part of the presentinvention.

In applying the device, to a press the retaining bracket 7 may beadjusted to properly fit the particular platen by loosening set screw 55which is placed in extension 11, and then tightening the same a ainafter the extension 11 has been move to the proper place on bar 10.

It will be noted that in the operation of the press gripper arm 3 willengage cam 43 but the same can not accidentally slip beneath the same aslug 56 will prevent any such action.

What I claim is 1. In an attachment for printing presses formed with agripper bar and gripper arms, a guide for moving the paper fed into thepress to a correct position for receiving the impression, a rod formoving said guide, means for moving said rod, a'fitting connected withthe gripper bar of the press for operating said means, whereby saidguide is moved automatically by the press, and means associated withsaid guide and operable by one of said gripper arms for causing saidguide to make a reverse movement after the paper has been fed to itscorrect position, and before the gripper bar actuates the means formoving the rod connected with said guide.

2. In an attachment for printing presses formed with a gripper bar, anda gripper arm, a guide for moving the paper fed into the press forcausing the same to register for correctly receiving an impression, anarm for supporting said guide, a reciprocating rod connected with saidarm for moving the same, means for automatically moving saidreciprocating rod, means for connecting said last mentioned means withthe gripper bar of said press, whereby said rod,

arm and guide are moved in timed relation- I ship to the movement of thepress, and a pivotally mounted cam member associated with said guidearranged in line of movement of said gripper arm for being actuatedthereby, for causing a slight reverse move ment of. said guide previousto the closing of the press.

3. In an attachment for printing presses formed with a gripper bar, anda gripper arm, a guide for moving the paper fed into the press to aproper position forreceiving an impression just previous to saidimpression, a pivotally mounted member for supporting said guide, a camprojecting from said pivotally mounted member and arranged in the pathof movement of said gripper arm for being moved by said gripper arm asthe press closes, whereby said guide is moved in a reverse directionduring the last part of the movement of the press when closing, and aplurality of means associated with the pivotally mounted member forsupporting the guide andfor moving the same in timed relationship to themovement of the press.

4. In an attachment for printing presses formed with a gripper bar andgripper arms, a stationary stop for regulating the position of paper fedinto the press, a movable stop for causing the paper fed into the pressto be forced against said stationary stop, an arm for moving saidmovable stop, a reciproeating bar for moving said arm, means forreciprocating said bar, a reciprocating pitman rod connected to thegripper bar of the press for moving said means and means associated withsaid movable stop designed to be engaged by one of the gripper arms ofthe press for causing a reverse movement of said movable stop during thelast part of the movement of the press when closing.

5. In an attachment for printing presses formed with a gripper bar and agripper arm, a stationary stop, a movable stop, a pivotally mountedmember supporting said -movable stop, a cam projecting from saidpivotally mounted member and arranged in the path of movement of saidgripper arm,

a reciprocating slide member for supporting said pivotally mountedmember, an arm for supporting said slide member, a reciprocating rod foractuating said arm, and a plurality of means for connecting saidreciprocating rod with said gripper bar for conveying movement from thegripper bar to the movable stop, the movement of said rod being adaptedto move the movable stop back and forth across part of the platen of thepress, and said cam being adapted to move said movable stop in a reversedirection before the regular reverse movement of said rod.

6. In an attachment for printing presses formed with a gripper bar and agripper arm, a stationary stop, a movable stop, a cam associated withthe movable stop for moving the same in a reverse direction, said cambeing arranged in the path of movement of said gripper arm, whereby eachtime that the press is closed the cam will be operated and the movablestop will be moved in a reverse direction during the last part of themovement of the press when closing, an arm for carrying said movablestop, means for clamping said movable stop at any desired point on saidarm, a reciprocating rod, means .for clamping said arm at any desiredpoint along said reciprocating rod, and means operated by the gripperbar of said press for reciprocating said rod.

7. In an attachment for printing presses, a stationary stop, a movablestop, meansfor moving said movable stop toward and from said stationarystop and auxiliary means for moving said movable stop in a reversedirection after the same has traveled its full distance toward thestationary stop and before the regular reverse movement of the stopbegins.

8. In a printing press formed with a gripper bar and a gripper arm, astationary stop, a movable stop, means for automati- 'cally moving saidmovable stop for causing the same to force the paper fed into the machine against said stationary stop, automatically operable means formoving said mov able stop out of contact with the paper without causinga complete reverse movement of the movable stop, an arm for supportingsaid movable stop, means for giving said arm a back and forth movement,a bell crank lever connected with said means for operating the same, andmeans connecting the bell crank lever with the gripper bar of the pressfor actuating said bell crank lever.

9. In a printing press formed with a gripper bar and a gripper arm, astationary stop, a movable stop for forcing paper fed into the pressagainst said stationary stop, a pivotally mounted member for supportingsaid movable stop, a cam extending from said pivotally mounted member inthe path of movement of said gripper arm, a slide member for supportingsaid pivotally mounted member, an arm for supporting said slide member,a transversely reciprocating rod, means for clamping said arm to saidtransversely reciprocating rod, a bell crank lever, means for connectingsaid bell crank lever with said rod for conveying movement from the bellcrank lever to the reciprocating rod, an adjustable pitman connectedwith said bell crank lever, and means for connecting said adjustablepitman with the gripper bar of said press, whereby movement will beconveyed from the gripper bar of the press to said movable stop formoving the same in timed relationship to the press.

10. In a printing press formed with a gripper bar, a platen, and tympanbails, a stationary stop, a reciprocating stop for forcing paper againstsuch stationary stop, a movable arm for supporting and moving saidreciprocating stop, a reciprocating rod for moving said arm, meansoperated by the gripper bar of said press for reciprocating said rod, asupporting bar for supporting said reciprocating rod, said arm and themeans for operating said rod, and a plurality of retaining bracket-sfitting over the edge of the platen of said press and held againstremoval by one of the tympan bails of the press.

11. Ina printing press formed with a gripper bar and gripper arms, meansfor centering paper fed thereto, means secured to the gripper bar ofsaid press for operating said means and means operable by one of thegripper arms for moving in a reverse direction said paper centeringmeans immediately previous to the impression.

12. In an attachment for printing presses formed with a gripper bar andgripper arms, a stationary stop, a movable stop, a pivotally mounted barrigidly connected with the said movable stop, a supporting clampingmember pivotally connected with said bar, an arm passing through saidsupporting clamping member, means operable by the gripper bar of saidpress for moving said arm transversely across the platen of said pressand means operated by one of the gripper arms of said press for movingsaid pivotallymounted stop supporting bar in such direction as to give areverse movement to said movable stop without moving said arm.

13. In an attachment for a printing press formed with a gripper bar andgripper arms, a stationary stop, a movable stop, a supporting bar forsaid movable stop, a cam projecting from said supporting bar, asupporting member formed with clamping portions pivotally connected withsaid supporting bar for pivotally supporting said bar, an arm extendingthrough the clamping portions of said supporting member, a spring fornormally holding said pivotally mounted supporting member in oneposition and means operable by the gripper bar of said press for movingsaid arm transversely over the platen of said press for moving saidmovable stop toward said stationary stop whereby paper fed into saidpress will be moved against said stationary stop and one of the gripperarms of said press will be caused to engage said cam for moving saidmovable stop in a reverse direction just previous to the impression andWhile said arm is stationary 14. In an attachment for printing pressesformed with a gripper arm, a stationary stop, a movable stop, means formoving said movable stop toward and from said stationary stop, meansoperable by the gripper arm of said press for giving a slight reversemovement to said movable stop just before the impression is made andmeans for removably holding said movable stop and the means foroperating the same on the platen of said press.

15. In an attachment for a printing press formed with a' gripper bar andgripper arms, a stationary stop, a movable stop, an arm for giving aprincipal movement to said movable stop, means connected with thegripper bar of the said press for moving said arm, means operated by oneof the gripper arms of said press for giving a reverse movement to saidmovable stop while said arm is held stationary in its innermost positionand means for taking up any lost motion of said arm.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALTA L. SMITH.

Witnesses:

RoBT. T. LANG, A. L. KITOHIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, I). G.

